(SACRAMENTO, CA, 5/31/17) – The Sacramento Valley office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SV) today condemned an allegedly racially-motivated attack on a man in that state by a machete-wielding assailant.

A Clearlake, Calif., man is in custody for allegedly attacking an African-American man with a machete on Saturday night attack. Anthony Robert Hammond, 34, is reportedly being held on $1 million bail for multiple charges, including that of committing a hate crime. The suspect had allegedly been shouting racial slurs at a number of people prior to the attack. As he shouted racial slurs at the victim, Hammond allegedly struck the man on the shoulder with the machete, causing serious injury.

"We condemn this disturbing attack and ask our state's political leaders to take a clear stand against the growing hatred we see nationwide that inevitably leads to such incidents," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.

On Saturday, representatives of the CAIR's Oregon Ad Hoc Committee of the Council on took part in a candlelight vigil for men killed and injured as they sought to defend a Muslim woman and her friend from an attacker shouting Islamophobic and racist slurs.

The suspect apprehended following the attack is reportedly a white supremacist who has been photographed giving the Nazi salute.

Earlier this month, CAIR released a report showing a 57 percent increase in anti-Muslim incidents in 2016 over the previous year. This spike in anti-Muslim incidents was accompanied by a 44 percent increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes during the same period.

The Sacramento civil rights and advocacy organization urges community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR-SV's Civil Rights Department at 916-441-6269 or by filing a report here.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.